The UK government says it will introduce an overnight social media curfew for teenagers aged 16 and 17 as part of a broader effort to limit young people’s exposure to addictive online features.
Under the plan announced Tuesday, platforms such as Instagram and Facebook will be required to restrict access for affected users between midnight and 6 a.m.
The government also plans to introduce default settings that disable features such as infinite scrolling for older teenagers, although users will be able to switch those settings off.
Questions remain about how the measures will be enforced, and critics argue that allowing users to disable the protections could reduce their effectiveness.
The announcement follows Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s decision last month to ban social media platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook for children under 16.
The ban is scheduled to take effect in early 2027.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the new measures are intended to protect young people from the most addictive online features, improve sleep, support learning and encourage more time with family and friends.
The reforms will also include safeguards for artificial intelligence chatbots, requiring users under 18 to take regular breaks while using the services.
Some children’s charities have welcomed the proposals as overdue protections, while others have warned they could push some young people toward less safe online behaviour.
The UK joins a growing number of countries tightening social media rules for minors. Australia became the first country to ban under-16s from social media in December, while Canada, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia have announced or implemented similar restrictions.
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